JUS-325_ Marbury v

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1 Marbury v. Madison Amelie Honaker Grand Canyon University JUS-325: The Adjudication Function Kevin Walling January 21, 2024
2 Historical Backdrop Marbury v. Madison is a seminal case in American law that established the notion of judicial review, which permits courts to judge the legality of legislation. The Supreme Court decided the issue in 1803 during the country's early years, when political tensions were high between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties. The case's historical backdrop is the 1800 presidential election, in which Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican, ousted former President John Adams, a Federalist. In the latter days of his presidency, Adams appointed several Federalists to judicial positions, notably William Marbury as a justice of the peace for the District of Columbia (Pollak, 2004). However, Marbury's selection was not transmitted before Adams left the office. When Jefferson gained office, he directed his Secretary of State, James Madison, not to deliver any more appointments. Marbury then sued Madison for a writ of mandamus, which is a court order forcing Madison to surrender his commission. The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice John Marshall, determined that, while Marbury was entitled to his commission, the Court lacked the authority under the Constitution to issue a writ of mandamus in this case (Kramer, 2004). This case established the Court's judicial review authority, a watershed milestone in the formation of the United States' legal and political structure. The case is frequently cited for Justice Marshall's statement, "It is emphatically the province and duty of the judicial department to say what the law is." (Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137, 177-1803) This declaration reaffirmed the judiciary's status as an equal arm of government capable of evaluating and overturning unconstitutional laws.
3 Justice Marshall’s rationale Justice Marshall's reasoning in the Marbury v. Madison case was significant in developing the American judicial system. Marshall maintained that the Constitution, as the "supreme law of the land," takes precedence over any other competing laws, which should be deemed invalid (Marbury v. Madison, 5 U.S. 137, 1803). Marshall argued that it was the judiciary's job to interpret the Constitution, and that Marbury had a legal right to his commission. However, he discovered that the Judiciary Act of 1789, on which Marbury was relying to issue a writ of mandamus, was incompatible with the Constitution (Holt, 1989). The Act granted the Supreme Court the authority to issue such a document, but Marshall declared this section of the Act unconstitutional, marking the first time the Supreme Court invalidated a law on such grounds, thereby establishing the principle of judicial review (Dickson, 2001). Marshall's rationale was based on the Constitution, which said that cases like Marbury's could not be brought directly to the Supreme Court but had to begin in a lower court. As a result, he was unable to issue the writ Marbury sought. This judgment dramatically strengthened the judicial branch and reinforced its role as the ultimate interpreter of the Constitution, a premise that is still central to the operation of the American judiciary (Joyce, 2005). Significance of Marbury v. Madison Marbury v. Madison is a pillar of American jurisprudence because it established the notion of judicial review. This concept permits the judicial branch to deem laws unconstitutional, limiting and balancing the powers of the other parts of government (Marbury v. Madison, 5 US 137, 1803). Its relevance stems from the fact that it established the Supreme Court's ability to interpret the Constitution and decide the constitutionality of legislation approved by Congress. This ruling ultimately gave the Supreme Court the final say in legal interpretations, influencing
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